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The Crimson Pearl
The Crimson Pearl is an audio drama produced by Big Finish Productions. It was released in August 2011. It celebrates 45 years of Dark Shadows. A mysterious crimson pearl manipulates the fortunes of the Collins family over the centuries. Publisher's Summary “It’s as if Lucifer plucked out one of his own eyes...” The year is 1690. Isaac Collins is sailing to America to establish a new life for his family. Suddenly, during a strange and unnatural blizzard, he discovers a single blood-red pearl. A pearl that seems to sing to him… The pearl will be going on a journey. Passed down through generations bringing luck both good and bad. But what does it want? Why is its journey so linked to the Collins family? And who will ultimately take ownership of the crimson pearl? A special audio drama featuring over thirty characters, written to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Dark Shadows. Synopsis Teaser : My name is Isaac Collins . My journey begins across the oceans to a land known as America. A land that will become home to myself, to my family, and to my descendants. My name is Isaac Collins and this is where the story of my family begins. Captain Malloy informs Isaac Collins that everything is in order and it should be good sailing conditions. Isaac is pleased by this news, at that moment, he is surprised by the sight of snowflakes falling to the ground. This quickly descends into a blizzard despite the fact the sky was clear only moments ago. Suddenly the weather stops and the sky is perfectly clear once more. The snow begins to melt revealing a red sparkling pearl. Isaac deduces it fell from the sky with the snow. He thinks it worthless, but is sure his wife will enjoy its beauty. Theme : The year is 1700. Isaac Collins and his family have lived in America for 10 years. In that time they have established a successful fishing fleet and founded a small town known as Collinsport. But now the shadows are growing and the head of the Collins family must make a difficult choice. Isaac writes a letter: : My dearest Silas, I pray this letter reaches you in time for Christmas. All is well here, the house is finally completed and Annabella has settled into a daily routine of embroidery and walks around the grounds. My dear son Caleb is a fine young man, tall and strong for his age, and Annabella is with child once more. It is with a heavy heart though that I must tell you of my brother’s passing. Amadeus had been in bad spirits for a number of years, so it is a blessing that he is with our Lord now. And there is something else Silas. I know you with think me a fool, but I fear sometimes for my own sanity. That morning so many years ago, when the snow fell across the ocean bringing with it my crimson pearl. I have not spoke of it often for as you know I am not generally a superstitious man. This pearl, this beautiful pearl I swear it has brought me such good luck over the years, I cannot say how or why. But it is as if I hear a voice whispering giving me hope. Although there is nobody there, it is most unnatural. In recent months though the voice has changed. It is darker. I feel as if there are shadows everywhere. Annabella swears she hears an unearthly sound when she sleeps. We lost three fine men when one of our ships sunk last month. It’s all just too strange. I believe I had selfishly held onto the pearl for too long, which is why my luck is now changing. This is why I feel compelled to share my fortune with you. Enclosed please find one beautiful crimson pearl. May it bring you the joy and hope it has brought me. Your dearest cousin, Isaac Collins. He prays to himself that god may have mercy on their souls. : Christmas in the year 1700. And as heavy snow falls over England a secret assignation takes place. Grace Collins tells her gardener Frank that he would never leave her. He responds that she doesn’t love Silas Collins and that she is only married to him for his money. She agrees, but tells Frank that she could never live like his kind. Silas impatiently calls Grace inside. She arranges to meet with Frank later. They kiss. She goes inside as she does so she deliberates to herself that she loves Frank but she could never give the Collins name up. She has something of a dilemma. Silas shows her the crimson pearl that Isaac has sent, much to her delight. Silas declares it will bring them good fortune, at that moment a crashing sound can be heard from outside. It’s Frank he’s fallen from a tree that he was tending and has broken his neck. He’s dead. Grace muses to herself that the choice has been made for her, considering it to be good luck : England, 1720. Twenty years have passed since Grace Collins first wore the crimson pearl. She’s experienced luck both good and bad. But on this night, a tormented soul pens her last letter. Grace writes a letter, distraught: : My dearest Silas, I am so sorry my beloved. I can bear it no longer. Whilst you see in the New Year at Tunbridge Wells. I am taking the opportunity to end it all. May God forgive me. I could not do it while you were in the house. Oh, my darling it is the voices, the whispering won’t stop. They say I let little Gregory drown, that I just watched as he went under. The voices follow me everywhere, saying it over and over, and I wonder how many people can hear them. I can see the looks on people’s faces in the village. And now, even the servants sneer at me in my own house. I can see how they hate me. Even when I take walks alone down to the lake the voices come at me out of the mist. I cannot listen any more. Even tonight when you are away and the servants are abed they won’t stop. I can feel the breath on my neck when I’m alone and hear the footsteps coming down the empty corridor. Even now there is scratching at my door, and the smell, a terrible smell of stagnant water fills the room. Something awful is waiting outside the door begging to be let in. It happens every night, and I can never bear to open the door. I know he has come back, to ask why I let him die. What can I say to him? To you? I cannot stand it any more. I have been saving my sleeping draughts from Dr. Lewis. They will, I hope, be enough. My dear, please forgive me. Your ever loving Grace. : Winter, 1734. The year opens sadly for Silas Collins, for he must make a terrible decision. Silas writes a letter, weary: : Dear Mr Lawson, I am afraid the game is up old boy. The Collins family is broke. These last few years it’s been one terrible thing after another. First my son’s accident, then the passing of my own dear wife. The servants drifting away, the crops failing, the cattle falling ill. One's tried to keep up appearances, but the mask has slipped at last. Best make a clean breast of it. I could have done something I suppose, but these last few years I’ve done little but sit in my chair. Just staring at the grate full of cold ashes. I never thought that I would be glad that my wife and child were no more, but I could not face them this terrible day. The Collins estate must be sold lock, stock and barrel. Of course our American cousins write to offer every assistance, but I shall not. We true Collins’ have some pride. Sell the lot dear boy. Sell the lot. Only leave me my favourite gun, will you? Your faithful servant, Silas Collins, Esquire. At an auction house, lot thirty-four is being bid for. It is an item of jewellery, a pendent containing the crimson pearl. It sells for five guineas. : Martinique in the year 1780. Marie DuPres writes a letter: : Maître chez Liza, it is I your friend Marie. I know you probably did not expect to hear from me again. But I felt I owed you an explanation as to why we left dear Paris so suddenly. I remember it had been a long and tiring week. For the king had worked André hard, and I had had to entertain so many visiting dignitaries. We were both simply exhausted. On the Sunday evening, we retired to bed early and dear André presented me with a gift, a charming crimson pearl. Oh Liza, it was beautiful, such a pure red. I admit though I had barely thanked him for it before soon so weary we were both asleep. I remember, oh I remember I started to dream. I was flying, like an eagle over Paris, and dear André was with me holding my hand. We were looking down at the buildings and the people and the scène. It was beautiful, so beautiful. But then, the sky’s above us changed, the clouds turned so black and thunder raged around us. And then, then this voice spoke to us, "Look down Marie and André DuPres. Look down at the river”, oh Liza, I screamed. The beautiful blue scène had become red, scarlet, crimson. For the water was now blood. “Where is it coming from”, I begged André to tell me but he could not. We started to fall towards the city, and we could see the horror, oh the horror. They were storming the Bastille, and that was only the beginning. The blood, so much blood, a reign of terror with thousands dying. Our beautiful city bleeding to death. And then the voice spoke again. “This will happen”, it said, “this is your future”. I began to wail. “You can change your future”, the voice continued, “leave Paris now, leave tonight.” As I continued to wail, the voice went on, it promised us that if we left it would provide us with love and fortune. André would become a successful businessman and I would continue to keep my beauty until the day I died. I stopped wailing. I listened as André, always so clever, asked the voice what it wanted in return. And it only said one word “Josette”. My dear beautiful daughter. What did it want with her? “If you stay in Paris she will still live a long life, but she will be penniless. If you do as I say she will be rich and beautiful until the day she dies.” André began to answer, but I interrupted saying that we would do as the voice commanded. And then I woke up and I looked over at André and it was clear he had had the same dream. He said that he would go to find his sister and that I should start packing, we would join his cousins in Martinique. With that, he left and I looked down opening my hand and seeing that crimson pearl. And I knew it had spoken to us, it terrified me to even look at it, and then, and then I realized it had given us our future, so what further use did we have for it. So a few hours later, when we left our beautiful city I left the pearl in my room. Let it share its strange luck with another. Me’ane et moi chez. Marie DuPres. : January 1791. A lonely orphan from New York writes to her cousin at Collinwood, little realizing the deadly web she has become ensnared in. Millicent Collins writes a letter: : Dear Cousin Joshua, Thank you for your kind kind words after the dreadful deaths of mama and papa. Collinwood sounds wonderful, and of course I would love to take you up on you kind offer to stay. That is naturally if I can tear myself away from New York for even a moment, ah, the parties, the plays, the fashions. Utterly, utterly exhausting. You simply must come and visit us. Mother and father knew so many people they have left quite a hole in New York society. They were often seen driving through town in their coach and horses. They did so every day. Its funny when you think of it, their horses bolting like that. How dreadful it should happen on such a fine day, with only the lightest dusting of snow. Of course, I have much to remember them by, including mother’s fine jewels. Why as I write to you I am wearing the crimson Collins, a rare red pearl daddy acquired in Paris. It was the pride of mama’s collection, but she hardly ever wore it. She said something about how it didn’t feel quite right, except that day as they were climbing into the carriage with Daniel, I pressed it into her hand. “Wear it for me today, mama” I entreated her, “it will look so fine against all the snow.” She was about to decline when she went very still, as if listening to a voice. Her face went pale and as papa lifted the reins she suddenly reached over and handed my brother down to me, and then they drove off. Papa looking so proud behind the reins, and mama shining the brightest thing on a cold white day. That’s the last I ever saw of them. But you mustn’t think of me as alone, I have so many friends, and in Daniel I have the finest brother a sister could wish for. I do hope you can meet him soon. Ever yours, Millicent Collins. : The year is 1820. Millicent now incarcerated in Portland sanatorium, has just been visited by her brother Daniel. Millicent bids her brother Daniel goodbye. A doctor informs her that Daniel can’t hear her as he is outside climbing into a carriage. She reveals he wanted money from her, but she gave him something that was worth so much more. She observes that the man who claims to be her Doctor only has one hand. He reveals his name to be Count Andreas Petofi and that he wants the crimson pearl from her. She tells him she’s just given it to Daniel. She observes another carriage drawing up outside, this one belonging to Gypsy’s. Angered Petofi declares that he will have his revenge against the Collins family for this. : 1830, in a cold winter’s evening the undertaker Lamar Trask writes in his diary. Lamar Trask writes in his diary: : An interesting burial today. A Mrs. Harriet Collins, she is one of the Collins family from nearby Collinsport. They are a wealthy family who established the town many years ago. Such wealth does not bring happiness though as the lady in question apparently jumped to her death off that treacherous precipice known as Widows' Hill. Her body was dashed to pieces, but my assistant Peter Briar did good work in making her features bearable enough to gaze upon. Her husband, Mr. Daniel Collins obviously wishing to avoid local gossip and scandal arranged for her to be buried in Bangor. He had fixed a small Crimson brooch to her dress, presumably hoping that such riches might pay for her damned souls entrance into our Lord’s kingdom. I however believe that the meek and lowly shall inherit the earth, and so for poor Mrs. Collins sake I have removed the broach and placed it into my own safekeeping may her poor soul rest in peace. : Lamar Trask has disappeared many years later and his descendant has married the sour Minerva Briar, a woman whose brother has just made an interesting discovery. Simon Briar writes a letter: : Dear Freddie. My luck has changed. Things have been as bad as ever here at brimstone towers. The sainted Reverend Gregory Trask rumbles on, ever since he discovered that slight irregularity in my book keeping, old Jehovah has been watching me like a hawk. He is the biggest miser I ever did see. Christian charity, my eye. Why my idiot sister ever married him I don’t know, but poor dear Minerva is besotted with the old fraud. Then again I’ve overheard her tell him that she believes me to be the best man the world has ever known. Huh, foolish woman. I still can’t believe the families around here send their children to be educated by old Trask. He hands out punishments like he’s the profit Isaiah. Forever shaking his Bible and telling his miserable charges, “all that is worthwhile in life can be found in the good book”. Well let me just tell you, Freddie, ain’t that just the truth. I was searching his study earlier tonight for any ready money when, and you’ll think me crazy, I swear I heard this voice, it said “Bible”, simple as that. “Bible.” So having nothing to lose I had a peep inside the Trask family Bible. And guess what I found. A large chunk of the New Testament had been carved out. I’m tempted to say everything from forgiveness onwards was missing. There was a neat little hidey whole containing several hundred dollars and a fancy looking pearl broach. I heard someone coming, but it was just Tim Shaw, one of the Reverend’s teachers, “Mr. Briar sir are you looking for something?”, he asked. I told him that I was merely seeking solace from the good book. I had already liberated the pearl broach into my pocket and I’m fairly sure I’d clapped the Bible shut before he saw the hidden money. Anyway, I ushered him out of the Reverend’s study, and we walked to the chapel for evening prayers. I’ll sneak back there tonight to help myself to the money. If all goes well I should never see Gregory Trask or my dreary sister ever again. Pray for my wicked soul. Simon Briar, Esquire. : Night falls on Worthington Hall. Simon Briar is planning to relieve the Reverend Trask of his ill-gotten gains, but his actions will soon be halted by an unexpected visitor. Simon Briar is outside Gregory Trask’s office. He is preparing to go in when he hears Tim Shaw’s voice coming from inside, there’s someone else in there with him. Simon peaks inside without them noticing and finds the other person is Rachel Drummond. He decides to go hide in the Larder, where he is startled by Angelique Collins. She tells him she wants the Crimson Pearl from him, he refuses to give it to her. She doesn’t have time to waste so she casts a spell that causes him to starting gasping for air. He falls to the ground dead and she takes the pearl. : As the nineteenth century draws to a close a crimson pearl is in the hands of a powerful witch. Now in a place full of horror and dread, she must use it to bargain for that which is most important to her. In the underworld, Angelique demands an audience with the Dark Lord. She offers him the crimson pearl in exchange for her mortal soul, she tells him that the pearl is from before time and that it has mysterious powers. Realizing he has no power against such ancient magic he agrees and grants her wish. She is overjoyed. He reminds her that she died 101 years ago and that she will be human once more and will be dead. Angelique distressed demands her freedom. He tells her events are unfolding at Collinwood, that the vampire Barnabas Collins will soon be moving through time. He says that two man are attempting to summon Angelique back into existence, she will have her life back, for a while. She leaves angered. The Dark Lord considers the crimson pearl, he decides that it could be a threat to his power. He destroys it. : The crimson pearl has been destroyed. It’s story has ended, but many years later a cursed artist is telling an unrelated story and he is an artist gifted supernatural powers. 1915. Charles Delaware Tate laments over his ability to see beauty in all things. He seeks out a gypsy named Ivanka Romano, he explains his curse to her in the hope she can remove it. In exchange for her help, he uses his ability to bring the crimson pearl back into existence. He hands it to her. However, she tricks him by removing his sight so that he can never set eyes on beauty again. : A storm rages above Collinwood in the year 1916. A visitor is about to arrive at the house on a quest that will soon lead her to a terrifying realm. Ivanka Romano is greeted by Steadman, the butler at Collinwood. She demands to be let in saying she has come looking for her cousins. The butler informs her that the family has retired for the night and that the master of the house Jamison Collins is putting his children Elizabeth and Roger to bed. Whilst the Butler goes to fetch Jamison, Ivanka decides to go exploring Collinwood for herself. She wanders into the deserted east wing and comes across a mysterious room that is almost like another world. She comes face to face with an alternate version of herself. The alternate Ivanka is a maidservant working at Collinwood. Sickened by this reality the original version of Ivanka decides to leave. She hands over the crimson pearl to the alternate Ivanka glad to be rid of it. The original Ivanka returns to her own reality much to alternate Ivanka's confusion. She admires the pearl. : We are in world parallel to our own. A Collinwood that is like and yet unlike the one we are familiar with and on this day Quentin Collins is about to make a proposal. Quentin Collins writes a letter: : My dearest. I have long wanted to tell you but cannot find the words. So I am sending you this letter to say quite simply that I love you. Will you marry me? Ever yours, Quentin Collins. He tells Mr. Trask to deliver the letter to Angelique Stokes. Mr. Trask arrives with a letter for Angelique Stokes. She tells Trask to stay whilst see writes the reply: : My dear Mr. Collins. Angelique Stokes presents her compliments and trusts this letter finds you well. It was but moments ago that you passed her in the hallway and wishes her good evening. She also recalls that it was only hours ago that you sang Christmas carols together in the great hall. Shorty after that long silent walk back from the church. Miss Stokes expresses herself somewhat surprised at your sudden devotion and wonders if you may not have caught a chill during that long walk. Until she is quite assured of your continued good health, she regrets that she is unable to reply to your earlier question. Your humble servant, Miss Angelique Stokes. She gives the letter to Trask. Trask passes the letter to Quentin. He reads it and exclaims that the woman is a witch. He writes another letter to Angelique: : Angelique, I love you. You know I always have, but are you just toying with me? Does you heart lie elsewhere, is it my cousin Roger? Is that why you’re so cruel to me? Oh, Angelique I can’t bear it any more. Please take this as a token of my affection. It is a family heirloom. He gives the letter to Trask who delivers it to Angelique, much to her feigned surprise. The family heirloom enclosed, a hat-pin, doesn’t impress her. She writes another reply to Quentin: : My dear Quentin. You’ll have to do better than that. It’s a lovely little trinket but I’m not to be had for trifles. Is that really your best offer? Forever yours, Angelique Stokes. She gives the letter to Trask. Trask is coy when asked by Quentin what mood Angelique was in. Trask passes the letter to Quentin. He reads it and writes another letter to Angelique, irritably: : I sent you one of Elizabeth’s jewelled hat-pins to symbolize how every time I see you is like being stabbed through the heart. Here’s something you may find more appealing. It is a rare crimson pearl given to me as a child by our dear old housekeeper Ivanka. It would make a fine wedding ring. Angelique Stokes, you are the only woman for me. With this pearl I, well, will you do me the honour of being my wife? : Grief reigns in that strange world known as parallel time. For Angelique Collins is dead. Her twin sister Alexis, now resides at Collinwood, but a series of strange events have left her feeling uneasy. Alexis Stokes writes a letter: : Dear Lavinia, I'm having a bad time in Collinsport. It’s no longer the town I once grew up in. It's partly that I know everyone is still comparing me to Angelique. I had hoped it would stop but it doesn’t get any better. Poor Quentin, still looks at me with haunted eyes, and I wonder if it wasn’t a mistake leaving dear Italy to come hear. Collinwood itself is such a strange house. I know I’ve bored you with stories of how strange the legendary Collins’ are, but really this house is like mausoleum. It’s full of ghosts, and I’m starting to think I mean that literally. Everywhere I go there’s a whispering sound, sometimes I think it’s the ocean. Sometimes it’s someone standing behind me. I can’t quite hear what it’s saying, but it is not a nice voice, I can tell you that. It’s got so I’m terrified to walk down a corridor here alone at night. I feel the most terrible sense of foreboding. Sometimes I wonder if it is my sister, as though she’s trying to speak though me. I just don’t know, it’s such a terrible, terrible feeling. I am so tired. I sometimes can’t even think straight nothing seems to go right. Either I’m absent minded or there are thieves here. The only thing my sister left me was a pearl ring of hers. A remarkable stone that she said was a Collins’ family heirloom. I kept it in my sister’s old room, but when I went there the other day to check on it, it had gone. Elizabeth says there’s a rational explanation, there must be. But I don’t know. Things can’t just vanish can they? Surely their isn’t a thief in the family. But it’s gone. And I only wish I was where it is. Your ever-loving prisoner, Alexis. P.S. Write soon with news of the real world. : Collinsport in the year 1973. Carolyn Stoddard is recovering from her experiences at the hands of the insane Dr. Gretchen Warwick. Experiences that have brought back strong memories of her departed husband Jeb. Carolyn Stoddard tells her mother she’s fine and bids her goodnight. She goes to sleep. In a dream she hears the voice of Jeb Hawkes. He instructs her to follow his voice, which leads her to the east wing of Collinwood. She is in an empty room. She finds the crimson pearl. Jeb tells her it has returned to this world, that it will protect her and grant her every wish she could make. He says that when she wakes she is to go and find it. She wakes and goes to find it. The voice of Jeb is heard again, however it gets deeper until it is that of another. The voice is of the Crimson Pearl itself. It declares that it is ready to feast again. : Carolyn Stoddard now has the crimson pearl, but she is unaware that it was not the ghost of her husband Jeb that directed her to it, but the mysterious pearl itself. Believing it could make her wishes come true she seeks the advice of an old friend. At the Blue Whale, Carolyn impatiently tells Maggie Evans that she needs to talk. She shows Maggie the pearl and tells her that it can make her wishes come true. Maggie is doubtful of this claim, however she starts to become dazzled by the pearl. The Crimson Pearl speaks delightedly that it has found another to feast on. : Maggie Evans has persuaded Carolyn to wait and talk to the absent Professor Stokes before using the crimson pearl. At the White Rabbit pub, Quentin Collins receives a telegram; he is surprised that they knew where to find him. He reads it: : Carolyn has found a pearl. Stop. She says it can make dreams come true. Stop. She and Maggie are falling under its spell. Stop. I’m sending this the places I’ve heard you mention. Stop. As I am in Egypt. Stop. Professor T. E. Stokes. Stop. : I am patient stone. I am the Crimson Pearl. I am a necklace, a pendant, a ring, a marble, a gift, a curse. I am the Crimson Pearl. I have fed on generation after generation feeding on their hopes, their unknown tomorrows and their fears. On those nights of terror and intrigue. I have pushed and nudged and whispered in ears. But now I am nearly sated. Their voices, their dreams, their hearts are still in me. They give me power and now one more wish, one more story, one more act of greed and I will have life and my masters will be free. Quentin writes a letter: : My dear Carolyn, Forgive me for such a fleeting visit. I’m afraid I came back to Collinwood for only one reason, to take the crimson pearl. You see, it reminded me of a family legend Barnabas told me. A story of a mysterious pearl, there are mentions of it throughout our family's history. In letters, diaries and even the odd suicide note. As soon as I heard you possessed it I knew that gift wasn’t for you. If anyone deserves their wishes to come true then it’s good old Quentin Collins. I hope you’ll forgive this old rogue. Yours in such sincerity, Quentin Collins. Widow’s Hill, snow is falling. Quentin stands atop looking out at the sea and wonders how many dreams have been ended in this terrible place. He holds the crimson pearl. It comments that Quentin does not seem surprised that it is talking to him. Quentin asks it how many have died because of it. It replies that it never killed directly and in some cases it even saved lives. It reveals it was made by creatures that walked the earth before mankind, the Leviathans. Quentin declares that they stopped them before and they will again. It asks if that’s what Quentin wants, what is his wish? Quentin says that he wishes to know how to defeat it. The pearl starts to speak with the voice of Isaac Collins and recounts how it came to be discovered. Quentin realizes that it didn’t come from the sky, it came from the sea, that the sea was its prison. The crimson pearl panics at this revelation and attempts to summon its masters. Quentin throws the pearl back into the sea. : My name is Quentin Collins. My journey continues. A journey that has spanned years and generations. A journey that once more takes me away from that house. Collinwood. But one day I am sure that I will return for much as it is a place filled with horror and intrigue, it is also my home and much as there is darkness, there is also light. For Collinwood is place where stories happen and there will be more. So many more. Memorable quotes Dramatis personae (in order of appearance) * Roy Thinnes as Isaac Collins * James Unsworth as Captain Malloy / Monsieur DuPres / Dr. Curtis / Count Petofi / Station Master * Rebecca Staab as Annabella Collins * Ursula Burton as Narrator * Nicola Bryant as Grace Collins * Alex Mallinson as Frank * Nigel Fairs as Silas Collins / The Dark Lord * Lizzie Hopley as Maid Servant / Ivanka Romano / Ivanka Romano (PT) * Matthew Waterhouse as Auctioneer / Barman * Alisdair Sladen as Crimson Pearl * Kathryn Leigh Scott as Marie DuPres / Rachel Drummond / Maggie Evans * Nancy Barrett as Millicent Collins / Carolyn Stoddard * Jerry Lacy as Lamar Trask / Mr. Trask * David Ames as Simon Briar * Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard / Angelique Stokes / Alexis Stokes * Roger Davis as Charles Delaware Tate * James Goss as Steadman * David Selby as Quentin Collins (1970 PT) / Quentin Collins * Christopher Pennock as Jeb Hawkes Background information and notes * The events of The Blind Painter and Curse of the Pharaoh are mentioned. * The scene where Charles Delaware Tate brings the Crimson Pearl back into existence to give to Ivanka Romano was originally heard as part of the The Blind Painter. * Previous to its release, two short scenes from this story were made available on the end of the previous four releases, both teasing the nature of the crimson pearl. * Christopher Pennock makes his debut in a Big Finish Production with this release. * Co-writer James Goss makes a cameo appearance as the Butler of Collinwood. The character reappears in A Collinwood Christmas and is named Steadman. * It would seem the Caleb Collins referenced here is not the same as the one who lived at Seaview and stipulated in his will that it could not be sold for 100 years after his death. * The King of the Gypsys in 1926 is named Julio. Bloopers and continuity errors * It has previously been established in 1192 that a person could not occupy the parallel time room at the same time as their counterpart from the other time band. If this occurred, the room automatically changed and returned visitors to their original time band. Here Ivanka is able to converse with the alternate version of herself inside the room. (It is highly likely that the mysterious powers of the Crimson Pearl, which Ivanka brought into the room with her, are preventing the room from switching back so that the exchange ''can be made between the two.) It should alsdo be noted that, in episode 1036, Julia Hoffman met and interacted with her parallel time counterpart in the secret room in the Old House.'' * In 1916, it is mentioned that Elizabeth and Roger are being put to bed. However it has previously been established in 278 that Elizabeth was born in 1917 and that Roger was born in 1925. (Writer Joseph Lidster has since confirmed this 1916 date to be a mistake in a thread on the forums at the Big Finish website (last accessed December 30, 2012): ** (referring to when A Collinwood Christmas is set) "We deliberately kept the date vague because we suspected we'd possibly made a mistake with the date in The Crimson Pearl. The dates in Dark Shadows are all a bit over the place but we do try and have them make sense as much as we can. My thinking is that the narrator in The Crimson Pearl made a mistake. Silly narrator.") External links * Big Finish Productions: The Crimson Pearl